Resident Evil 4 Remake Dev Explains How To Avoid This Game-Breaking Bug

The new "Resident Evil 4" remake has largely been seen as an improvement upon the original game. That's saying something, too, since the original version is one of the most beloved games of all time, not to mention a game changer in the world of action and horror. But even great games can be derailed by unfortunate glitches, and Capcom is making sure that players are aware of a soft lock glitch that may keep them from progressing.

⚠️ Resident Evil 4 players ⚠️

Please be aware of a rare but critical progress bug. This issue will only occur under very specific circumstances, as detailed below. We're working on a fix and apologize for any inconvenience. pic.twitter.com/rcJaFXE1jG

— Resident Evil (@RE_Games) March 31, 2023

As Capcom has noted, the error occurs at the very beginning of Chapter 12 of the game, when Leon picks up a new Key Item. If players swipe their knives before the on-screen notification appears for the new Key Item, they will find that they cannot proceed. The necessary item will not appear in their inventory due to a conflict in the game's code.

Capcom has graciously worded its above warning without including any specific spoilers, but if you'd like a few more specifics regarding this chapter of the game or the exact item that seems to be causing all the trouble, read on. We'll make sure you avoid this frustrating bug.

Spoilers ahead for "Resident Evil 4."

This glitch poses a major problem for gamers who are caught unaware by it. The good thing is that, much like other Key Items in the game, it's extremely difficult to miss the one at the top of Chapter 12. The chapter starts right on the heels of the boss battle against Leon's old military buddy, Krauser. A cutscene plays out to close the previous chapter, during which Luis hands Leon a special key just before succumbing to his wounds. Chapter 12 kicks off with a notification informing players that Luis' Key has been obtained. 

Basically, you should be fine as long as you don't start swiping your knife the second that the chapter starts. If you do, the Luis' Key may suddenly be missing from inventory, which means Leon won't be able to unlock the door to Luis' lab later in the game. As Capcom mentioned in its post, this is an extremely rare occurrence, so it's really only applicable to stabbier members of the "Resident Evil 4" playerbase. Of course, it makes sense that some players might still have a twitchy finger after the battle with Krauser.

If you begin Chapter 12 and notice that Luis' Key isn't in your inventory, then you'll need to reload your save for the start of Chapter 12. Until Capcom rolls out its planned fix for this glitch, just keep your fingers off the knife buttons at this point and you should be golden.